Hamilton residents upset about trees, artwork

HAMILTON — Council members and the public weighed in on a variety of topics at last night’s council meeting.

Consent agenda items included establishing a contract to purchase a land grader for a maximum amount of $51,360 and another one-year contract to purchase 20 police uniforms.

Public comment on resolution on the agenda brought up the quality of the artwork currently displayed at the Township Library.

Township resident Antonio Gambino told the Council many of those that work at the library have expressed their distaste for the structure.

“I know what art is and this is not art,” said Gambino.

Township Business Administrator, John Ricci, said the township has only received compliments regarding the donated art.

Other resolutions passed included the payment of three township police officers’ workers’ compensation claims and the reappointment of three township employees to the Health Dept.’s Registrar of Vital Statistics.

After the Council unanimously voted to pass all items on the agenda, the public comment brought up issues regarding the contamination of soil at the Italian-American Club and an ordinance which assigns responsibility to homeowners for the area between the sidewalk and curb.

Rental property owner Ray Snook voiced his grievances about the township’s handling of oak trees on the perimeter of his property. His said his attempts to have the trees pruned or removed, after their roots caused his sidewalk slabs to lift, were thwarted by the township’s tree ordinances.

Snook claimed the township sent a crew to grind the roots which subsequently weakened the tree, causing it to fall and destroy 22 feet of sidewalk during Hurricane Sandy.

“How can you enforce a tree on somebody with ramifications such as this?” said Snook.

The Council requested Snook draft a letter explaining the circumstances of his sidewalk damage for the Council to consider.

Ricci explained that the attorney for the property owner of the Italian-American Club said a report regarding the site’s contamination will be available at the end of March and issues regarding approval of the site’s development should be addressed at the next zoning board meeting.